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HomeWho Can Afford to Live in New Hampshire? New Report Examines Housing Costs, Income, and Future Challenges
October 17, 2025
New Hampshire Housing has released a new report highlighting the state’s housing affordability crisis and the urgent need for solutions that ensure residents across all income levels can find a home they can afford.
As the Granite State continues to be celebrated for its scenic beauty and exceptional quality of life, it faces challenges in ensuring that all residents, from young families to retirees, can find homes that fit their needs and their budget.
The report, titled “Who Can Afford to Live in New Hampshire? Housing Costs, Income, and the Future of the Granite State,” emphasizes three critical aspects of New Hampshire’s housing market:
- Housing Inventory Levels: Despite modest increases in housing supply, the market remains far from balanced, and affordability challenges persist.
- Home Pricing Trends: The median sale price of single-family homes has skyrocketed, keeping homeownership beyond the reach of many working families.
- Workforce Housing Challenges: Workers in essential and growing career fields are increasingly priced out of the rental market, exacerbating current workforce shortages.
Key findings in the report include:
- To afford the median-priced single-family home in New Hampshire, a family today would need to earn $182,000 annually. Only 15% of New Hampshire households earn that much.
- After adjusting for inflation, home prices increased by 129% since 1998, far outstripping the 19% increase in inflation-adjusted household incomes during the same period.
- The median sales price of a home in New Hampshire is $565,000; only four percent of all renters in the state can afford. In fact, 47% of renters cannot afford a single-family home over $250,000.
“Homeownership in New Hampshire has been a realistic and joyful milestone for decades, but we are now fighting to keep that a reality,” said Rob Dapice, CEO and Executive Director of New Hampshire Housing. “It is vital for our state to lower barriers to the creation of new housing through streamlined zoning and permitting processes, and to make targeted investments in affordable housing, if we are to keep our well-earned reputation as a state of opportunity and abundance.”
The report is available online at NHHousing.org.
About New Hampshire Housing
As a self-sustaining public corporation, New Hampshire Housing promotes, finances, and supports housing solutions for the people of New Hampshire. We have helped more than 55,000 families purchase their own homes and have been instrumental in financing the creation of more than 16,000 multifamily housing units. NHHousing.org
Contact:
Etienne LaFond
Director of Communication and Marketing
New Hampshire Housing
Elafond@nhhfa.org